Octopus, mojo verde, potatoes, artichokes and txistorra
Mojo verde salsa brings a cool taste to complement the big, rich flavours from the txistorra.
Serve as part of a Spanish tapas or as a standalone dish.
Equipment: You will need a deep-fat fryer or a deep, heavy-bottomed pan.
Ingredients
- 2 bunches fresh coriander
- 1 handful parsley
- 1 spring onion
- 3 garlic cloves
- 250ml/9fl oz olive oil, preferably Arbequina, plus extra for shallow frying and drizzling
- 75ml/5 tbsp white wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp ground cayenne
- 1 tbsp ground cumin
- 1 x 2–3kg/5-7lb double-sucker octopus, cleaned and left whole, beak and eyes removed
- ½ onion
- 1 bay leaf
- 500g/1lb 2oz new potatoes
- 4 shallots, roughly chopped
- 250g/9oz txistorra, or other cured sausage, cut into 4cm/1½in cubes
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
To serve
- vegetable oil, for deep frying
- 2 Jerusalem artichokes, thinly sliced
- 2 tbsp roughly chopped parsley
Method
For the mojo verde, put the coriander, parsley, spring onion, garlic, 170ml/5½fl oz olive oil, white wine vinegar, cayenne, cumin, salt and pepper in a food processor and pulse to a coarse paste. Set aside.
Bring a large pan of water to boil. Add the octopus, onion and bay leaf and simmer until tender. (This takes about 20 minutes per kilo. If a tooth pick slides through a tentacle easily, then the octopus is cooked). Once cooked, separate the octopus legs from the body by cutting at the join and then cut each leg into pieces.
Heat a dash of oil in a pan set over a medium heat. Add the octopus and fry for 2–3 minutes.
Bring a saucepan of water to the boil and add the new potatoes. Boil for 10 minutes or until cooked through. Drain and leave to cool enough to handle. Cut into halves.
Heat a frying pan with the remaining 80ml/2¾fl oz olive oil. Add the potato halves and shallots, season and fry until golden brown.
Heat a pan until hot. Dry fry the txistorra until the skin looks golden and crispy.
Preheat the oil in a deep-fat fryer to 180C. (CAUTION: hot oil can be dangerous. Do not leave unattended.) Place the sliced artichokes into the fryer and cook for 1–2 minutes. Drain on a plate lined with kitchen paper.
To serve, spread the mojo verde evenly onto a plate and place a mixture of the octopus, potatoes and txistorra on top. Drizzle with a little olive oil and garnish with the artichokes.